Cost of Living Comparison Between Dalian and Shenzhen Cost of Living Comparison Between Dalian and Shenzhen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $798 in Dalian versus $1,006 in Shenzhen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,254 in Dalian versus $1,658 in Shenzhen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,711 in Dalian versus $2,311 in Shenzhen.

Living in Dalian costs roughly 21% less than in Shenzhen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dalian 40% lower, Shenzhen 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 ¥23.29

$3.28 ¥22.48

3.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.55 ¥168

$28.26 ¥194

-13.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 ¥34.03

$5.14 ¥35.19

-3.31%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ¥21.42

$3.22 ¥22.06

-2.80%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 ¥3.48

$0.52 ¥3.53

-1.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ¥1.64

$0.28 ¥1.91

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 ¥5.64

$1.28 ¥8.74

-35.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ¥10.55

$2.80 ¥19.21

-45.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ¥10.94

$1.75 ¥11.98

-8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ¥9.93

$1.95 ¥13.38

-25.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.24

$1.24 ¥8.50

-26.61%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥13.78

$1.87 ¥12.78

7.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.42 ¥133

$12.87 ¥88.2

50.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.69 ¥18.44

$3.97 ¥27.20

-32.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.20 ¥69.9

$13.75 ¥94.2

-25.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 ¥8.78

$1.86 ¥12.74

-31.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 ¥7.91

$1.46 ¥10.03

-20.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 ¥9.09

$1.75 ¥11.97

-24.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.86

$1.40 ¥9.61

-49.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ¥4.61

$1.06 ¥7.28

-36.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.91

$1.41 ¥9.63

-48.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ¥5.17

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.13

$0.56 ¥3.87

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.42 ¥23.46

$3.44 ¥23.54

-0.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.45 ¥120

$14.25 ¥97.6

22.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥5.70

$0.93 ¥6.38

-10.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ¥10.36

$1.93 ¥13.24

-21.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥2.01

$0.44 ¥2.99

-34.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.80 ¥190

$22.51 ¥154

23.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.33

$1.63 ¥11.13

-16.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ¥2.72

$0.38 ¥2.59

5.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.04 ¥27.69

$6.81 ¥46.63

-40.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.87

$1.16 ¥7.96

-0.86%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.8K ¥122.2K

$23.4K ¥160.5K

-23.86%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$16.0K ¥109.7K

$20.1K ¥137.5K

-20.21%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$43.53 ¥298

$67.6 ¥463

-35.56%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.10 ¥62.3

$8.39 ¥57.4

8.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.45 ¥78.4

$13.11 ¥89.8

-12.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.04 ¥247

$49.79 ¥341

-27.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.92 ¥164

$17.43 ¥119

37.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.44 ¥44.10

$7.09 ¥48.56

-9.17%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$455 ¥3,118

$464 ¥3,179

-1.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,374 ¥64.2K

$20.8K ¥142.3K

-54.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 ¥386

$49.32 ¥338

14.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 ¥354

$29.89 ¥205

72.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 ¥734

$74.6 ¥511

43.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 ¥651

$79.7 ¥546

19.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$352 ¥2,412

$726 ¥4,974

-51.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 ¥1,418

$410 ¥2,806

-49.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 ¥4,357

$1,673 ¥11.5K

-61.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 ¥2,498

$903 ¥6,185

-59.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,664 ¥18.3K

$13.1K ¥89.5K

-79.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,650 ¥11.3K

$6,063 ¥41.5K

-72.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,098 ¥7,523

$1,687 ¥11.6K

-34.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.18

4.04

3.47%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Dalian: April 26, 2026

Last update for Shenzhen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $352 in Dalian and $726 in Shenzhen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 54% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $25.00 in Dalian vs $28.00 in Shenzhen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $234 per month, with Dalian cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Dalian vs Shenzhen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dalian and Shenzhen differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($798 vs $1,006 including rent). Dalian is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Shenzhen earns 54% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $352 in Dalian versus $726 in Shenzhen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $455 in Dalian versus $464 in Shenzhen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Shenzhen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $798 in Dalian versus $1,006 in Shenzhen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dalian but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Dalian the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Dalian gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.